When one speaks of the Geneva Conventions, they are usually referring
to the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, which was ratified in the aftermath
of World War II.

There were actually
four Geneva Conventions. The First Geneva Convention was agreed to
in 1864. The agreement provided for
the protection
of all medical facilities, their personnel and any civilians aiding
the
wounded.
It also gives the Red Cross international recognition as a neutral
medical group.

The First convention
was originally signed by 12 nations (The United States was not one
of these). The United States signed the Second Convention, which
occurred in 1882. The second convention extended the protection of
the first
convention to wounded combatants at sea and shipwrecked sailors.

The Third Geneva
Convention was convened in 1929 and resulted in specific protections
for prisoners
of war. The Fourth Geneva Convention was signed in 1949. This
convention reaffirmed the requirements of the first three conventions
and provided
protections for civilians during wartime.

Below are the requirements
of the Geneva Conventions as they relate to the treatment of Prisoners
of War (POWs):